The Winchester Police Department arrested a man Monday night for sexually assaulting children. LaMarcus Thomas, 30, is charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault against children. The victims in this case are a 12-year-old male and 14-year-old male from Winchester. The alleged crimes occurred on October 11th.

LaMarcus Thomas

Thomas was arrested just after 6 p.m. Monday night in the 500 block of North Loudoun Street and taken to the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center where he was held without bond.

This case remains under investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division. Anyone with information on this case should contact the Crime Solvers HOTLINE at 540-665-TIPS or Detective C.W. Coleman of the Winchester Police Department at 540-545-4704.

Winchester Police arrested a man early this morning after he held a woman at knifepoint. Derek Duane Stacy, 29, is charged with abduction, bomb threat, and attempted malicious wounding.

Derek Duane Stacy

Around 1:30 a.m. officers responded to the 500 block of Highland Avenue for a subject who was holding a person at knifepoint and threatened to have a bomb inside. An officer who arrived on scene was able to speak with the suspect who made a number of threats to harm the victim. A second officer was able to enter the apartment building, as the threats escalated, and used an electronic controlled device to subdue Stacy who was then taken into custody. He was taken to the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center where he was held without bond.

The victim was a 30-year-old female from Winchester. No one was injured.

The officers in this incident did an excellent job handling a situation which was quickly escalating and they were able to react in a way to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Two suspects in a rash of smashed window incidents are now behind bars. Christopher Michael Hess and Felicia Ann Somers, both 23 of Martinsburg, were arrested in Mineral County, West Virginia on outstanding warrants from Winchester. The warrants relate to eight reports of windows being busted out and purses being stolen from vehicles between November 3rd and November 22nd. Hess is charged with 10 felony counts of credit card larceny, eight counts of destruction of property, four counts of petty larceny, and three counts of grand larceny. Somers is charged with one felony count of credit card larceny, two counts of vandalism, and two counts of grand larceny. They’re being held at Potomac Highlands Regional Jail.

The Winchester Police Department thanks the public for its help in identifying the suspects when surveillance video of the suspect’s vehicle was released.

The Winchester Police Department has charged a city resident with attempted second degree murder following an incident Tuesday morning. Officers responded to the 2300 block of Valley Avenue at 5:22 a.m. in reference to a domestic situation. Officers were informed by a female that a male had held a gun to her head and pulled the trigger, but the firearm did not fire. Jonathan Lee Long, Sr., 51, was charged with domestic violence, brandishing a firearm, and reckless handling of a firearm. Officers also served Long with warrants for attempted second degree murder and felony child neglect. He is being held without bond at the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center. The incident remains under investigation.

The Winchester Police Department has obtained 25 warrants for a suspect in a rash of smashed window incidents. Within minutes of posting the information on social media, the public helped identify the owner of a vehicle seen on surveillance video during the incidents. Christopher Michael Hess, 23, of Martinsburg is now facing 10 felony counts of credit card larceny, eight counts of destruction of property, four counts of petty larceny, and three counts of grand larceny. The charges stem from eight reports of windows being busted out and purses being stolen from vehicles between November 3rd and November 22nd. Additional charges are pending.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Christopher Michael Hess is asked to call the Crime Solvers HOTLINE at 540-665-TIPS.

The Winchester Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the owner of a car that is seen on surveillance video during local smash and grabs. Detectives are investigating eight reports of windows being busted out and purses being stolen from vehicles. The incidents happened between November 3rd and November 22nd. Five of the incidents occurred in parking lots located in the 100 block of Tevis Street. The three other incidents happened in the 200 block of Featherbed Lane, the 2400 block of South Pleasant Valley Road, and the 1st block of Weems Lane.

The suspect’s vehicle is described as an older model dark green 4 door sedan with a spoiler on the back. The vehicle appears to be a Chevrolet. The vehicle has a bright smaller sticker on the driver’s side rear door vent glass. It also appears the vehicle does not have any rear hubcaps.

Anyone with information on the owner of the vehicle is asked to call the Crime Solvers HOTLINE at 540-665-TIPS.

Winchester Police Officers responded to the 2300 block of South Pleasant Valley Road around 3:15 a.m. for the report of a weapon being brandished. An investigation at the scene revealed that three juveniles and an 18-year-old had broken into Church of Christ at Mountain View on Narrow Lane in Frederick County, and had stolen items out of unlocked vehicles in Winchester. A gun was one of the items taken from the unlocked cars. Alexander Michael Ritter, 18, of Winchester, called police after he became concerned about the juveniles having a gun inside of a vehicle in a parking lot on South Pleasant Valley Road. Officers made contact with the juveniles and recovered the firearm. Ritter is charged with grand larceny, three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of marijuana, and breaking and entering out of Frederick County. He was taken to the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center and held without bond.

Alexander Michael Ritter

The three juveniles are a 14-year-old male from Winchester, a 15-year-old male from Winchester, and a 16-year-old male from Powhatan, VA. Officers have filed for a juvenile petition for grand larceny against each of them. Other charges against the juveniles are pending. They were all taken to the Northwestern Regional Juvenile Detention Center. It is still being determined how many cars were broken into.

Winchester Police responded to the 600 block of Dunlap Street just before 11 p.m. Wednesday night for a motor vehicle theft. A resident was in her home when she heard her vehicle being started up and saw it leave her driveway. An officer saw a vehicle matching the description of the stolen vehicle in the 600 block of Berryville Avenue and witnessed the driver accelerate abruptly and travel eastbound on National Avenue. The vehicle then turned right onto Boyd Avenue and was travelling southbound. The officer attempted to pull over the vehicle, but it continued travelling down Boyd Avenue, onto Woodstock Lane, and then onto Purcell Avenue. In the area of Purcell Avenue and East Lane the driver exited the moving vehicle and ran towards Christopher Drive. The officer ran after the suspect and eventually used a Taser in an attempt to stop the suspect. The male continued to run, but was arrested in the 100 block of Christopher Drive.

Jackie Teter, Jr.

Jackie Teter, Jr., 37, of Winchester was arrested and charged with eluding police, possession of stolen property, driving suspended, DUI, motor vehicle theft, 3 counts of grand larceny, 3 counts of credit card theft, resisting arrest, and hit and run. He was taken to the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center where he was held without bond.

An investigation determined Teter also had committed some larcenies from motor vehicles.

Winchester Police have active warrants on two suspects in an armed robbery that happened early Tuesday morning. Around 12:45 a.m. officers responded to the 2200 block of Taft Circle for a report of shots fired. An investigation revealed that 25-year-old Thomas King and 19-year-old Toni Ashby, both of Martinsburg, had robbed two victims at gunpoint and wouldn’t allow them to leave their apartment. One of the victims, a 41-year-old male from Winchester fired one shot striking King below the abdomen. King received treatment at a hospital in Martinsburg and was released later in the morning. King and Ashby are both currently being held at a jail in West Virginia on unrelated charges. Warrants for armed robbery and abduction will be served prior to their release.

The second victim in this incident is a 22-year-old female from Summit Point, WV.

The incident remains under investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division.

King and Ashby are also connected to an incident that occurred early Monday morning in Frederick County and charges are pending in that case.

Detectives Investigate Three Reports of Smashed Windows and Purses Taken

The Winchester Police Department has received three reports of car windows being busted out and purses, that were left in plain sight, being stolen from the vehicles. All three incidents happened in parking lots outside of businesses in the 100 block of Tevis Street. On November 3rd around 4 p.m. a victim reported that she discovered her front passenger window had been shattered and her purse was missing. The incident happened between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The second report was received on November 8th just before 4:30 p.m. The victim in this case reported that between 3 p.m. and 4:23 p.m. someone had broken out the passenger side front window of the vehicle and taken a purse.

The third incident was reported on November 11th at 2 p.m. Again, in this incident the victim found the front passenger side window smashed and a purse was taken.

All of these incidents remain under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division.

In all of these incidents purses were left inside of the vehicles in plain sight. Residents are reminded to not leave any valuables inside of their vehicles. You are reminded to lock your valuables in your trunk or leave them at home.

Anyone with information on these incidents or a possible suspect in these cases is asked to call the Crime Solvers HOTLINE at 540-665-TIPS.

If you are a victim of this crime you are urged to file a police report no matter how small the loss may be.

Sign Up Today!

Addiction Resources in the Northern Shenandoah Valley

A Message from the Chief of Police

"As the Chief of the Winchester Police Department, I would like to welcome you to our website. I am delighted to be associated with a department with such a long and proud history of serving the citizens of Winchester. Please Click Here and I will share with you some of the services we are providing to the citizens of Winchester.”